Puri: The district administration has initiated the process to provide free shelter to Habisialis, elderly women who observe food restrictions and offer special puja in the Hindu month of Kartika, in the Holy City here.
The administration would provide shelter to around 2,500 Habisialis from October 25 to November 23 for observance of Kartika Brata. A decision to this effect has been taken at a recent meeting of the administration. District Collector Jyoti Prakash Das presided over the meeting.
“The Habisialis would be provided shelter at railway tourist complex, municipality Kalyan Mandap and a yatri niwas near the district headquarters hospital. They can avail free shelter facilities from October 24 after registering their names,” said an official of the district administration.
It is learnt that Habisialis from Puri, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak and Bolangir district would be lodged at the railway tourist complex while those from Ganjam, Bargarh, Boudh, Debgarh, Dhenkanal, Rayagada, Sonepur, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Angul and Sambalpur district would be provide shelter at the yatri niwas near the DHH.
Similarly, devout women from Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khurda, Koraput and Malkangiri would be asked to stay at the municipality Kalyan Mandap at Mochisahi, sources said.
“We would open a few help desks for Habisialis at the city railway station and bus stand. The elderly women can collect information regarding their shelter facilities from the help desks,” said the official.
According to sources, the administration would deploy adequate lifeguards and fire brigade personnel at Narendra pond for safe bathing of the elderly women. It would also arrange a few buses to ferry Habisialis from their shelter houses to Srimandir.
“The administration would take steps to organise devotional song shows, pala, discourse and Bhagwat recitation at the shelter houses of Habisialis. Officials have been asked to make all arrangements for the elderly women by October 22. The additional collector and sub-collected would inspect the arrangements,” the official said.